THE BEST OF BRITAIN
I operated this trip in 1999 and 2002 for a "family group" of 33 and 35 people. The schedule was entirely subjective. I only went to places I had visited personally and regularly over the years. I'd love to operate this again sometime.
After two weeks in the countryside and small towns of England, Wales and Scotland - you'll be a certified Anglophile.
The Itinerary:
First Day:
Thursday:
9:25PM: Leave NEWARK on
Virgin Atlantic flight 002.
Dinner will be served after
reaching our cruising altitude. (This is also a good time to set your watches
AHEAD 5 hours, to reflect London Time).
Breakfast will be
served aboard, prior to our arrival.
2nd Day, Friday LONDON
9:05AM (London Time)
arrive HEATHROW Airport. On arrival we will be entering the customs area
through the “Nothing To Declare” entrance.. NOTE: It is not possible to
arrange pre-payment or group porterage of your luggage at airports, so
collection and transfer of your bags to the motorcoach is on your own. We will
be met and assisted by a local guide, who will escort us to our private motor
coach at curbside.
Because we are arriving too
early to check in to our hotel, we have arranged for a coach tour of all the
main sites in this fabulous and historic city. This tour covers all the major
landmarks and sights of both City and West End of London. You will pass through
Oxford, Bond and Regent Streets, through Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square,
past many of the museums and famous department stores. You’ll see Nelson’s
Column, Westminster Abbey (where entrance fees are included). this is near the
famous Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the Horse guards at Whitehall, 10
Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, St.
Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and the financial and business center
of “the City”. You will see Fleet Street, the Inns of Court, and then
proceed to an early lunch in a typical London pub. Enjoy a drink from the bar
with your very own Lloyd of London!
After
lunch, we will proceed on to our hotel, where assistance will be provided with
the check-in procedures, and the balance of the day and evening will be left at
leisure for your personal discoveries of fabulous London (or just relax, and
recover from the excitement of the flight!)
Overnight:
Green Park Hotel
This morning, after a
continen
tal breakfast at our hotel, we
leave London, and begin our drive southwest into the early landscape of England.
Only a short drive brings us to historic Windsor, with its imposing Castle,
overlooking the River Thames. This is the favorite Royal Residence of Queen
Elizabeth II. The original building was started in 1080 by William the
Conqueror, but nothing now remains of that wooden structure. It was replaced by
a stone-built tower now standing at the very heart of the Castle. This was
enhanced by the Kings and Queens of following centuries, creating the
magnificent complex that is Windsor Castle today. Court Arrangements are pending
for us to visit the State Apartments and St. George’s Chapel.
After this visit, we
will continue to wind through the countryside, stopping on the way for a
leisurely lunch of your own choosing (cost not included) before arriving at
Stonehenge. This is the most famous monument of prehistoric Europe – a
circular setting of massive standing stones. A surprisingly small structure, the
main central ruin is only 110 ft. in diameter. It originally contained just 162
stones, mostly undecorated and arranged in a straightforward way. It stands
isolated today on the open chalk plains. Emerson thought it “like a group of
brown dwarfs on the wide expanse”, but when close on, the mass of its
monoliths makes a striking impact on the visitor. Stonehenge is not a single
period site, but the ruins of a series of earthen monuments, now heavily eroded,
and of stone structures dating from before 3000 B.C. to about 1000 B.C. The
central portion (about 2000 B.C.) is unique among the relics of ancient Europe;
it includes the famous trilithons, pairs of huge upright stones with a third
laid crossways across their tops, held in place by mortise-and-tendon joints,
evidence of much greater sophistication in its builders. Recent measurements of
its orientation suggest to scholars it was erected as a device to predict
astronomic occurrences. Whatever its original purpose, its atmosphere of history
and mystery still remains.
We will arrive in
Salisbury in time to check in to our hotel before taking the short walk along
the tranquil Close with its spacious lawns, trees and dignified old houses to
the Cathedral. Our plan is to be there in time for “evensong” at 5:30PM, and
to have time to look around afterward in this ancient town.
Salisbury
Cathedral was begun by Bishop Poore in 1220, when the cathedral at Old Sarum
became untenable, and was consecrated in 1258. Perfectly proportioned,
restrained in ornament, of exquisitely precise workmanship, and built of
material so well chosen that seven centuries have but added beauty of time to
the stone. Salisbury Cathedral is a classic of architecture, expressing the
renewal of national spirit realized in the 13th century. The
Cathedral and its spire have been immortalized by the paintings of John
Constable, and at 404 ft., is the tallest in Britain.
Remainder of the day and evening at leisure in Salisbury.
Overnight
at the Red Lion Hotel
4th Day, Sunday:
GLASTONBURY, BATH, BRISTOL:
We will enjoy a full English Breakfast at the hotel this
morning, and then drive westward to visit Glastonbury.
Glastonbury
Abbey is a place surrounded by legend. It is said that St. Joseph of Arimathea
(in whose personal Jerusalem tomb the body of Christ was laid) came with eleven
companions to Glastonbury, bringing the Chalice of the Last Supper (or,
according to another tradition, the Phials of the Crucifixion) in about 60 A.D.
It is said Joseph and his companions reached Wearyall Hill by boat, and were
“weary all”. Joseph thrust his staff into the ground, and it took root, and
a flowering thorn tree burst forth. The miraculous property of this thorn is
that it always blooms on Christmas Day and at Easter. Here, in the druidic
“Isle of Avalon”or Ynyswytryn, the “Blessed Isle”, they built the
“Vestusta Ecclesia”, which was a primitive church of wood and wattle. It was
refounded by Pope Eleutherius in 166A.D., and according to one legend, St.
Patrick visited the settlement and died here in 463 A.D. This is the 
legendary
home of King Arthur and his Round Table. Here on the Abbey grounds a monk
discovered a buried stone slab and a lead cross, on which was inscribed “Hic
Jacet Sepultus Inclytus Rex Arturius in Insula Avallonia”, which means “Here
lies buried the renowned King Arthur in the Isle of Avalon”. We will visit
the Abbey, the Tor, and Arthur’s traditional gravesite, where he lies buried
with his Queen Guinevere.. Myth? Mystery? Magic? Legend? You decide A place of
pilgrimage over the centuries, Glastonbury remains to this day a quaint and
charming timbered village, and the atmosphere of its storied past is never far
from the surface
Our next stop today is at one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Bath was first named Aquae Sulis by the Romans, who used its natural warm springs for bathing. In fact, remains of these baths are considered to be one of the finest examples of Roman civilization in Europe, even rivaling Italy’s own archaeological finds. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the city fell into decay, but the same warm springs resulted in its renaissance during the 18th century, under the benevolent hand of the local squire Ralph Allen, who was the model for “Squire Allworthy” in Fielding’s novel “Tom Jones”. Making use of two talented local architects, John Wood the elder and his son, the town was laid out in classical Georgian style. Happily much of their work remains, including the magnificent Royal Crescent and the intriguing Pulteney Bridge, the only one in Britain with shops standing on it, (like the Ponte Veccio in Florence). The Abbey was the last great church to be built in the Perpendicular style and contains many monumements to the notable people of Bath.
After a full day of excitement, we will arrive in Bristol. More than just a base for touring England’s West Country, this is a cradle of history for many of us Americans. John Wesley built his first chapel here, and John Cabot, of Bristol, sailed from here to the New World in 1479. William Penn, a Bristol lad, left here in the 18th century, eventually to found Philadelphia, in our own “Penn’s Woods”. Half a million Brits live in this major seaport, connected to the ocean by the broad Avon River, site of much British history.
Our hotel is a stylishly refurbished venue, right in city center, featuring attractive rooms and all the modern facilities expected by the business and leisure traveler. A Table d’hote dinner is included this evening at the hotel. A table d’hote dinner is included here this evening.
Overnight
at The Grand Thistle Hotel.
5th Day, Monday::
TINTERN ABBEY, ROSS-ON-WYE, THORNBURY CASTLE
After
an English Breakfast at the hotel, we begin our “Wales and Cotswolds” loop,
taking us across the Severn Bridge, into Wales. We will be stopping at
the historic ruin of Tintern Abbey – then driving through the Forest of Dean
and along the Wye River (which the Welsh say is “two thirds water, and one
third fish”) 
to the ancient town of Ross. While its history as a town
stretches back less than 1000 years, there were men living here in the Ice Age,
some 60,000 years ago. This ancient man found refuge in caves on Doward Hill,
which also hid its inhabitants in the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages, and even when
the Roman legions came. This is where your “Lloyd of London” met
“Geoffrey of Ross” in the early 1970’s, and established a warm
friendship with his family that still endures. A
specially hosted luncheon is arranged here in our honor, at the old Chase Hotel,
in Gloucester Road.
Not to be outdone
in the hospitality department, The Baron Portlethen has invited us to stop and
visit him at Thornbury Castle for a proper “cream tea”.
Thornbury dates back to the time of King Athelstan (925 – 940 A.D.) and
Humphrey Stafford, named Duke of Buckingham in 1444, (a Knight of the Garter).
Thornbury was just a Manor until the 3rd Duke obtained a license to
castellate it in 1508. It is this castle we see today, lovingly restored, and
containing the oldest Castle Garden in England. It is operated as one of the
country’s Prestige Hotels, and having received the prestigious “Egon Ronay
Gold Plate Award”, is reported still to be The Finest Restaurant in Britain.
Infamous King Henry VIII and Ann Bolyn used the castle as a summer
residence.
After returning to
the Grand Thistle Hotel in Bristol, balance of the day is left free for personal
sightseeing and dinner at leisure.
Overnight at The Grand Thistle Hotel
6th day, Tuesday:
STOKE-ON-TRENT, CHESTER, RUTHIN CASTLE
OFF TO CHINA! After breakfast at our Bristol hotel, we are off the China capital of the UK. Stoke-on-Trent offers almost 50 pottery factory shops, factory tours, ceramic and industrial museums and visitor centers. Stoke is a unique city, comprising six separate towns, known affectionately the world over as “The Potteries”. The towns are Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton. Hanley is the city center, but potteries are spread over all six towns. Although pottery has been made here since the Middle Ages, the industry received its first great impetus when Josiah Wedgwood opened his factory at Etruria in 1769. Other famous names established by the late 18th century included Davenport, Minton, Spode and Copeland. Doulton came from London in the 19th century. They were attracted here not so much by the local marl clay, suitable only for the coarsest ware, but because of the Staffordshire coal needed for firing. China clay was brought from Devon and Cornwall, ball clay from Dorset, flints form Norfolk and feldspar from Derbyshire. In the 19th century the area suffered from the worst type of industrial pollution, vividly described in novels and stories by Arnold Bennett, a native of Hanley. Today, electric firing has replaced coal, and the bottle kilns have all but disappeared. Much of the industrial landscape has been imaginatively reclaimed to make public parks. .
Crossing into Wales, we enter a land of beautiful hills and valleys, almost all with names impossible to pronounce. Some travelers say they never got a good look at the scenery, because their eyes were filled with tears of joy at the beauty of the place. Our goal, in the Vale of Clwyd, is Ruthin. Peg-sahped Ruthin Castle’s history stretches back into the early days of Llywelyn, Welch monarch of the 1200’s. Ruthin was already here when Edward I, in his title of Lord of Wales started building castles all over the place in 1284. In 1963, the ancient castle and mansion of the Cornwallis-Wests entered into a new existence. The new proprietors, with imaginative realism, have transformed it into a luxury hotel where guests are welcomed with traditional Welsh hospitality. After experiencing the “Feast of the Earl of Warwick”, you will be proud to have been “all Welsh” for a day! If time permits, you may want to wander through the ancient town, just three minutes’ walk from the castle gate. We will stay
Overnight
in Castle Ruthin.
7th Day, Wednesday: CHESTER, LAKE DISTRICT, CARLISLE
Today
we will continue north into Chester for a brief visit, and then via Liverpool
into the lovely Lake District. A visit to Dove Cottage (one of Wordsworth’s
homes) is scheduled. Lunch at leisure.
The
fabric of Chester is run thro
ugh with two thousand years of history. East of the
heavily restored Cathedral, you walk to the top of the two mile girdle of
medieval and Roman city walls – the most complete set in Britain, (although in
places the wall is scarcely above street level). The main thoroughfares of
Chester’s Roman grid plan meet at “the Cross”, where the town crier
welcomes visitors to the city. both sides of all four streets are lined by
“the Rows”, unique galleried arcades running on top of the ground floor
shops. The engaging black and white tableau is a blend of genuine Tudor houses
and Victorian half-timbered imitations, the finest Tudor buildings being located
along Watergate Street.
The Lake
District contains some of the best loved scenery in England. For almost two
centuries its combination of craggy mountains, serene lakes and green valleys
has attracted more praise and more visitors than any other English region. It is
actually quite small – a mere corner of Northwest England, measuring about 35
miles across (the size of Susquehanna County). Windermere is the largest of the
16 lakes, some 10.5 miles long;
Scafell Pike, though it is the highest mountain in England, reaches to only 3210
ft. The Lake District’s appeal comes from the astonishing variety concentrated
in its small compass, and from the wildness and grandeur achieved by its
apparently modest dimensions. Traces of Norwegian influence (dating from the 7th
and 8th centuries) still linger in the place-names, dialects and
customs of the Dales. The comparative lack of historical interest in the
district is compensated by the wealth of poetical and literary association. It
was the spiritual home of the “Lake School”; including Wordsworth, Coleridge,
Southey and their literary associates, and it is possible to identify many of
the beautiful sights so feelingly described by Wordsworth in his poetry.
Overnight
at the Cumbria Park Hotel, where dinner is included.
8th Day: Thursday:
DUMFRIES, TRAQUAIR, EDINBURGH
Today we travel across into
Scotland, into Dumfries – the area we of the Stevens persuasion associate with
ancestors Robert Bell and Jane Gillespie. We will have lunch at leisure
in the district, and then continue on to visit the oldest continuously inhabited
home in Scotland. Certainly Traquair House gives the impression today of a
mature home, and not a formal mansion. It was the residence of William the Lion,
who held court here in 1209, and it is further claimed that 27 Scottish and
English monarchs (Including Mary, Queen of Scots, Darnley, and their baby, the
future James VI) have visited here. The second Earl is said to have betrayed
Montrose’s battle plans to Leslie before the battle at Philiphaugh and then
denied Montrose entry after his defeat, the latter having ridden from Philipaugh
in a direct line across the Minch Moor (1856 ft.) . The fifth Earl however,
received the Young Pretender Bonnie Prince Charlie, and when the latter departed
through the avenues Bear Gates swore they should not open again until a Stuart
regained the throne. (So, they remain closed today). The house is largely of the
17th century, but with a
very ancient tower, and many relics are on view in its historic rooms and
passages, including a priest’s room and escape stairway. Other attractions
include the 18th century brewhouse, still producing ale, five craft
workshops and a maze.
On
arrival in the capital, we will check in to our Maitland Hotel in Shandwick
Place, where dinner is at leisure.
9th Day, Friday; EDINBURGH
After breakfast this
morning, we will be taken on a guided tour of historic Edinburgh, including
entry to the Palace of Holyroodhouse (court functions permitting) and Edinburgh
Castle. There will also be time to visit St. Cuthbert’s Church, where John
Stevens married Margaret.
Edinburgh is
justifiably famous as one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe. This
ancient town lies along the “Royal Mile” which stretches from the massive
fortress of Edinburgh Castle, perched on its rocky crag, to the Royal Palace of
Holyroodhouse, official residence
of the Queen in Scotland, Our tour will visit both these great palaces, taking
time to see the Scottish Crown Jewels (known as the “Honours of Scotland”),
which are reputed to be of greater antiquity than the Crown Jewels in the Tower
of London. While at the Castle, enjoy the panoramic view of the graceful squares
and streets of this elegant example of Georgian architecture. You will see
differences between the Old and New Towns, see St. Giles’ Cathedral, and hear
stories of John Knox, Burke & Hare, “Greyfriars Bobby” and many, many
more.
This is a “walking town” and we have left the afternoon and evening completely at leisure for you to enjoy personal sightseeing and shopping.
Overnight at the Maitland Hotel.
10th Day, Saturday: INVERKEITHING,
GLAMIS MONTROSE
After a fine Scottish breakfast this morning, we will drive out on to the Great Fourth Bridge, and immediately after crossing this imposing estuary, will turn right into “Alexander Stevens Territory” – the coastal town of INVERKEITHING. We are hoping to have completed some research here that will allow the Clan Stevens among us to take some photographs, and perhaps reconstruct some old stories from our Great Great Grandfather’s boyhood home.
Leaving Inverkeithing, we will be driving
north through the sculptured hills of the north – visiting towns and sites
along the way toward brooding Glamis Castle. This castle is the imposing and
historic home of the Earls of Strathmore and 
Kinghorne. The castle owes its
present aspect (1675-1687) with its almost theatrical clusters of turrets and
battlemented parapets, to the first Earl of Strathmore. There has been a
building here from very early times, and Malcom II may have died in or been
murdered near the castle in 1034. On the burning (1540) of Lady Glamis for
witchcraft, (and conspiring to murder James V), the castle was forfeited to the
crown, but when later her innocence had been established it was restored to her
son, whose descendant, Patrick Lyon, became Earl of Strathmore in 1677. In 1715
the Old Pretender stayed here for some time and held his court, while in modern
times this was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and the
birthplace of Princess Margaret (1930). Shakespeare used Glamis castle as the
setting for his tragic tale of “Macbeth”.
Lunch will be at leisure in the vicinity of Glamis, after which we will continue our drive to the Scottish coastal town of MONTROSE. There should be plenty of time left this afternoon for a “walkabout” in this namesake of our own Susquehanna County capital. Dinner is included tonight, at our Park Hotel. “The Park” as it is fondly known, is beautifully situated in the quiet mid-links conservation area of this historic seaside town. Just moments away, you will discover the wide High Street, which perhaps gave inspiration to the layout of Public Avenue, in our own Montrose.
Overnight at The Park Hotel.
11th Day, Sunday: MONTROSE, ROYAL DEESIDE
After Scottish Breakfast, we will spend a full day visiting about this area, taking a circuitour route around Royal Deeside. We will stop briefly at Crathie Church, which the Royal Family regularly attends when staying at nearby Balmoral Castle. Lunch at leisure in the area.
Overnight at The Park Hotel.
12th Day, Monday: South to GLASGOW
After breakfast today, we will reluctantly bid farewell to our new friends in Montrose, and head south toward the Great Fourth again. We will be stopping on the way at the home of one of Scotland’s great industries – the historic Glenturret Distillery, for a “proper tour – and perchance – a wee dram”. Arriving in Glasgow during the mid-afternoon, there will be time available for some last minute shopping or wandering about in this old industrial capital of Scotland. Our “fare ye well” dinner tonight is scheduled at the Ubiquitous Chip, and overnight accommodations are at the Ewington Hotel. The Ewington is a moderate first class grade Victorian townhouse, containing just 45 rooms. It overlooks Queen’s Park, and is just a short drive from the city center.
Overnight, Ewington Hotel
14th Day, Tuesday: HOMEWARD BOUND
After our final Scottish breakfast, we will get packed and transfer to Glasgow Airport to begin our homeward flight.
1:00PM lv: Glasgow on British Midland flight 007
ar: London (Heathrow) at 2:15PM.
4:00PM: lv: Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic flight 001
Sometime during this trans-Atlantic journey, it’s time to re-set your watch to “Pennsylvania time.”. This means setting it BACK five hours. (This, you see, is where you make up for the hours you lost on the 15th, when you set your clocks ahead!)
6:40PM Arrive Newark Airport – and after picking up your luggage at the claim area, proceed through inbound customs and immigration formalities.
WELCOME HOME!
THIS IS WHERE YOUR TRAVEL ADVENTURE ENDS – AND WHERE YOUR WONDERFUL MEMORIES BEGIN! The places you have been, the things you have done will blend in memory with the friends you have made – and your investment in adventure will immediately begin to pay its dividends.
God Speed – and God Bless Us, Every One.